Success Stories

When small business owners blend personal passion, distinctive products and good business sense, they build meaningful brands that generate success. This is the case for Incausa, created in 2012 by owner Vinicius Vieira de Vieira and his wife, Carolina. Natives of Brazil, they shared a vision of creating a company that benefits the common good – one that’s financially viable for them and their employees, and that gives back by selling indigenous-made goods.
As a social-enterprise [...]

Twenty miles north of Syracuse, NY in the village of Central Square, you’ll find “R” Diner—a gathering spot that draws a loyal following, thanks to great food and the warm welcome guests receive. The family business is helmed by owner Robin Hilts.
Robin purchased “R” Diner through a lease-to-own agreement and closed on it in 2016. She acquired the building along with the business, and needed to make several updates including a costly roof replacement.
As a [...]

When Karl Azizi relocated his printing shop to Brooklyn in 2016, he took advantage of the opportunity to rebrand it with his passion for jazz music. The result was Jazz’n Print, a full service print shop with a distinctive ambience that’s muchloved by its clientele. “We have a piano in the shop, and we have monthly performances here,” explains Karl. “Music’s always playing. The staff and customers love it.”
After the shop relocated, Karl needed funds [...]

When John Benjamin started his online-only shop, The WaterGardener, he didn’t expect this unique hobby to result in booming sales across the nation. After facing financial challenges with other online lenders, he wanted to find a responsible lender that would treat his business endeavors as a partnership, not just a financial transaction. He found a fit with the EGF SmartLoan™, allowing him to streamline debt and fully focus on growing and expanding his business.
We asked John to [...]

Justin Constantine is known for his inspirational and motivating speeches, but this was not always the path he expected to travel. On October 18, 2006, Justin experienced a life-altering event. While serving as a Marine Corps officer in Iraq, his unit was performing a routine combat patrol when an enemy sniper shot him in the back of the head, causing major damage to his mouth. Since that day, he has inspired others to live a more rewarding personal and professional life by sharing [...]

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Excelsior Growth Fund (EGF) promotes economic development and job creation in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania by providing streamlined access to small business loans and business advisory services. Excelsior Growth Fund is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) and certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).